Internal-combustion engine cylinder-head construction



March 23, 1937. KI NE 2,074,972

INTERNAL COMBUSQI'ION ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD CONSTRUCTION Fild Dec. 23, 1935 Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE CYLIN- DER-HEAD CONSTRUCTION Ralph L. Skinner, Detroit, Mich. Application December 23, 1935, Serial No. 55,775

12 Claims. 123-75) The present invention concerns betterments in l the heads of the cylinders of internal-combustion engines and in their manner of mounting on or in the cylinders, one of the leading aims of the invention being to provide a construction in which the head is yieldingly mounted on or in' its cylinder, so that the shocks imposed on the head by reason of the gas pressures in the cylinder are cushioned and are transmitted only in part through the head to the cylinder, thus rendering possible an engine which has smoother operating characteristics than has heretofore been obtainable forsimilar engines. 7

Another'i'eature of the construction aiding in 5 the accomplishment of the stated object is the making of the head itself somewhat resilient or elastic to dissipate some of the pressure co'n cussions. To permit thoseacquainted with this art to understand the invention and its advantages, both from structural and functional standpoints, a present, preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawing, the single view of which represents a central, longitudinal section through a portion of an engine embodying the invention,'the engine being of the general type presented in United States Patent No. 1,830,136, Ralph ,L. Skinner, Internal-combustion engine, granted November 3, 1931,'to which patent reference is made for an understanding of the generic construction and mode of operation of the engine.

By reference to this drawing, some of theparts of the structure are anouter, ported engine-cylinder H, a shorter, unported, inner engine-cylinder or liner i2 in, and spaced inwardly away from, the exterior cylinder II, a piston l3 'reciprocable in the inner cylinder or liner, a pair of arcuate valves I4 and I5 slidable longitudinally between the two cylinders and reciprocated by means not shown, a split, elastic, expansible and contractible, ported sealing-ring I6 bearing at one endon the end of the inner cylinder, and a continuous holddown ring I! pressing against the opposite end of the sealing-ring and having an inwardly-extended flange i8 along its lower edge subjected to the gaseous pressure in the cylinder, the structure including also the several parts or elements hereinafter described.

A hollow, round cylinder-head or end-closure I! has (a) a top, outwardly-projecting, marginal flange 2| entirely encased in a rubber shield or cover 22, preferably vulcanized thereto and of the desired or required degree of resiliency or elas- 55 ticity; (b) an exterior sloping or conical surface 23 connecting with one end of (c) an outer cylindrical surface 24; (d) a shoulder or'stop 23 at" the other end 01' the cylindrical part 24; (6) anotherexternal, reduced-diameter, cylindrical surface "extending inwardly of the outer cylinder II to (f) a corrugated, somewhat-flexible, round end-wall 21 apertured eccentrically to the axes of the two engine-cylinders II and I2 for the accommodation of the reduced-diameter endportion of a tubular'well-member 28 having a screw-threaded opening through its inner, lower end housing a spark-plug 29.

A plurality of thin, nested, metallic, conical, flexible, upwardly-sloping, cylinder-head guiding and centering reeds 3| are confined against the similarly-shaped surface or shoulder 23 by an appropriately-formed collar 32 having a tight, sliding fit on the larger, cylindrical surface 24 of the head. I

A somewhat-conical-shaped ring-spring 33 bears against the under or inner surface of the collar 32 and overlies and presses downwardly or inwardly the hold-down ring l! to maintain the ported sealing-ring l6 properly on its seat on the end of the inner cylinder I2.

A sleeve or collar 34 has a binding or frictional fit on the surface 26 of the head and bears at one end against the shoulder 25 which properly and correctly positions it, such member 34 having a downwardly, outwardly, sloping'surface' 35 bearing against and holding in place a number of nested, metallic, conical, downwardly-outwardlysloping, flexible, ring reeds 36 against a complementary, inclined surface of a collar 3! bearing at its other end against ashoulder or upset pro- 7 jections 38 at the end of sleeve 34.

The outer edges of these resilient or elastic feeds are ground to fit and to press against the inner face of theadiacent hold-down ring l1, all as is clearly illustrated. g

Obviously, when the gas pressure in the outer engine-cylinder I l' is imposed on the underside of the protruding or exposed portion of these reeds 36, the latter bend or yield upwardly slightly, thus increasing their diameter in minor degree and in this matter maintaining a pressure-tight relation with the hold-down ringi'l, assuring the prevention of the escape of any of the gas past such reeds. v y I The cylinder-head and its associated parts, constructed as described, is held in place on and in the cylinder by a ring U shaped to house the rubber covering 22 and bearing directly on the top of the cylinder-block at 42, being held in place by the usual studs 43 and nuts 44.

From what precedes, it will be clear that the cylinder-head makes no direct contact with the cylinder-block except through the rubber 22 and the flexible reeds 3i and 35, these three elastic elements constituting cushions and minimizing the transmission of the shocks, received by the cylinder-head from the explosions in its cylinder, to the cylinder-casting, thus materially reducing the noise incident to the operation of the engine and assuring a smooth action thereof, this advantage being aided and facilitated by reason of the fact that the somewhat-flexible end 21 of the cylinder-head absorbs some of the concussions.

In addition, the cylinder-head is provided with a suitably-shaped cover 5| held on the cylinderblock in any approved manner, as by screws 52, with an appropriate gasket 53 between itself and the block, this gasket, if desired, being of rubber.

In order to sound-insulate the upper part of the spark-plug well-member 28 which extends up through an opening in the cover 5|, the margin of such aperture is formed to accommodate a rubber ring 54 through which the element 28 extends with the rubber in liquid-tight contact with it.

Internally andsecured to it, the cover has a centrally-apertured partition or division wall 55 with a deflector-skirt 56 in register with its aperture and reaching nearly to the bottom of the interior of the cylinder-head.

The specified construction, therefore, provides two communicating chambers 51 and 58 on opposite sides of the walls 55, 56, cooling water, by means not shown, being fed into one such chamber and delivered or discharged from the other. From what has been stated above, it will be apparent that the tubular, spark-plug-housing member 28 is sound insulated from the cover and the latter more or less from the cylinder-casting, so that the advantage accruing in sound insulation of the head from the cylinder-block is not neutralized or overcome either wholly or in part by sound-transmission through the element 28.

As has been indicated above, reeds 36 are ground to fit the hold-down ring and, in many instances,'it is desirable to similarlygrind the reeds ii to fit the outer cylinder.

The three parts 34, 36, and 31, when combined or associated together in the manner shown; form a single assembly which can be readily ground or sized to fit the cylinder-head and the hold-down ring before such assembly is applied or pressed on to the head in the relation shown.

The eccentric or off-center mounting ofthe spark-plug in the head, the flexibility of apart of the headits'elf, the insulation or cushioning 01 the head, andthe insulation of the sparkplug well-memben'all contribute their share to the even and quiet running of the engine, in that they unitedly absorb or cushion the vibrations and pressures to which they are intermittently exposed or reduce the transmission of the forces to the cylinder-block.

Although rubber and metallic reed cushioning means have been referred to, those skilled in the art will readily understand that other appropriate materials may be used.

The invention is not limited to the precise and exact details of structure shown, because these may be modified within more or less radical limits without departure from the heart and essence of the invention as defined by the appended claims and without the loss or sacrifice of any of the material benefits or advantages accruing from the employment of the invention.

It is to be noted also that, by eccentrically positioning the spark-plug, a substantial benefit is attained in that the force of the explosion does not reach all parts of the outer cylinder at the same time, but rather such shock or sudden pressure rise is imposed on the different transverse parts of the inner surface of the cylinder and its associated members progressively or nonconcurrently, hence aiding in the smooth and substantially noiseless operation of the engine.

I claim:

1. In an internal-combustion engine, the com- .bination of an engine-cylinder, a piston recipsaid resilient means comprises metallic reeds and non-metallic means.

3. The structure presented in claim 1 in which said cylinder-head extends into said cylinder and in which said resilient means includes metal lic reed. means between the cylinder and the portion of said head in the cylinder and nonmetallic means between the upper portion of the cylinder and the head.

4. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of an outer ported cylinder, an inner cylinder inside 01 said outer cylinder and spaced from the latter, reciprocable ported valve-means between said cylinders, an expansible ported sealing-ring hearing at one end on an end of said inner cylinder, a hold-down ring bearing endwise on the other end oi said sealing-ring, means pressing said hold-down ring toward said sealing-ring, a head for and extended part way into said outer cylinder, means mounting said head on said outer cylinder, resilient pressureconflning means on said head bearing on the inner surface of said hold-down ring, and resilient guiding-means on said head bearing against the'inner surface of said outer cylinder.

5., The construction presented in claim 4 in whichsaid means mounting said head on said outer cylinder includes resilient means completely cushioning said head from said outer cylinder.

6. The construction presented in claim 4 in which said resilient pressure-confining means consists of nested flexible reeds sloping outwardly from said head and inwardly of said outer cylinder and in which saidresilient guiding-means consists of nested flexible reeds sloping outwardly from said head and outwardly with relation to said outer cylinder.

'7. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of an engine-cylinder, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a head mounted on said cylinder, resilient means completely cushioning slid head;from said cylinder, 9. spark-plug well-member on said head, a cover for said head, and resiiient means cushioning said well-member from said cover.

' 8. In. an internal-combustion engine, the combination of an outer ported cylinder, an in-. ner cylinder inside of said outer cylinder and spaced from the latter, reciprocable ported valve-means between said cylinders, an expansible ported sealing-ring hearing at one end on an end of said inner cylinder, a hold-down ring bearing endwise on the other end orsaid sealingring, means pressing said hold-down ring toward said sealing-ring, a head for and extended partway into said outer cylinder, resilient pressureconflning means on said head bearing on the inner surface of said hold-down ring, resilient guiding-means on said head bearing against the inner surface of said outer cylinder, means fastening said head to said outer cylinder, and resilient cushioning means between said head, cylinder and resilient means between the portion of said head in said cylinder and said cylinder and resilient means between that portion of said head outside of said cylinder and said cylinder.

11. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of an engine-cylinder, a head for saidcylinder having a flange, means for fastening said flange to said engine-cylinder, and resilient means completely cushioning said fastening means from said flange and said flange from said cylinder.

12. In an internal-combustion engine. the combination of an engine-cylinder, a head for said cylinder having a flange and extending inside of said cylinder, means for fastening said flange to said engine-cylinder, resilient means completely cushioning said fastening means from said flange and said flange from said cylinder, and resilient means cushioning that portion of said cylinderhead in said cylinder from said cylinder.

RALPH L. SKINNER. 

